1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and systems for delivering granular or powdered materials, e.g., those used for promoting and supporting bone growth.
2. The Relevant Technology
In dental work, it is often necessary to remove a tooth. Because the teeth are anchored to the jaw bone, removal of the tooth leaves a large discontinuity or defect in the bone once occupied by the tooth root. In some cases, certain tooth extractions may require the removal of surrounding bone tissue. Whereas the body is, in theory, capable of growing new bone to fill in the discontinuity or defect, bone typically grows very slowly. In fact, bone grows much more slowly than soft tissue, which preferentially grows and fills in much of the void, leaving a weakened, defective bone that is more prone to fracture or failure, particularly in the elderly. Secondarily, once a tooth has been removed, the surrounding jaw bone can atrophy and weaken as a result of non-use in the area of the removed tooth.
In order to restore or augment areas where bone has been removed, naturally derived and synthetically manufactured granular and powdered bone mineral substitutes have been developed. These materials are often used to preserve or augment the alveolar portion of the jaw bone that supports the teeth, augment atrophic alveolar ridges (e.g. tooth socket bones which have decreased in size as a result of tooth removal), and to fill various periodontal defects. Under one current practice, bone mineral substitutes for promoting bone growth in the form of granules or powders are manually delivered into the intended site using a spatula, spoon or other tool. This method often results in inadvertent spillage and placement of particles into unintended locations and in a general difficulty in filling the augmentation site as intended. This is especially the case when attempting to augment bone growth along a ridge, such as the alveolar ridge mentioned above.
In view of the foregoing, it would be an improvement in the art to provide improved delivery apparatus and methods to overcome the aforementioned difficulties.